Scripture Reflections: Matthew 8:5-13
5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
Lord Jesus--This Roman soldier saw the pain of his servant…his friend…there must have been a close connection. The soldier was far from home, was this servant someone who he had with him since home? Had he grown up with the person a part of the woodwork?
At some point there had developed a caring relationship with this servant. This man battle scarred from his job still saw the pain of his slave who had somehow come out of the woodwork of his world to become a person. This fighter could see the pain of his friend and want to fix it. If this warrior could still see pain and had not developed calluses on his soul…Lord don’t let me overlook the pain of those that surround me.
7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
Lord Jesus--Your willingness to heal this servant of the overlords of the land of promise stretches my soul. Did you see the care in eyes of this warrior who had seen so much pain…who had caused so much pain? Did you see that in the middle of a life that could have killed his soul, this man still could feel…still could reach out and …still could want to bring healing to this person who cooked his meals and cleaned his house.
8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Lord Jesus--This man whose name has been forgotten in the mists of time, may have had more faith than I will ever have. He waited for your word and it was all that he needed. If you said it he believed it.
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Lord Jesus—Your people, your disciples, the people of promise did not have the kind of faith that this soldier had. Where did he learn this kind of trust? Teach me the kind of faith that knows that if You say it, then it must be true. Teach me the kind of faith that has ears to hear Your call and then follow no matter where You lead.
5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
Lord Jesus--This Roman soldier saw the pain of his servant…his friend…there must have been a close connection. The soldier was far from home, was this servant someone who he had with him since home? Had he grown up with the person a part of the woodwork?
At some point there had developed a caring relationship with this servant. This man battle scarred from his job still saw the pain of his slave who had somehow come out of the woodwork of his world to become a person. This fighter could see the pain of his friend and want to fix it. If this warrior could still see pain and had not developed calluses on his soul…Lord don’t let me overlook the pain of those that surround me.
7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
Lord Jesus--Your willingness to heal this servant of the overlords of the land of promise stretches my soul. Did you see the care in eyes of this warrior who had seen so much pain…who had caused so much pain? Did you see that in the middle of a life that could have killed his soul, this man still could feel…still could reach out and …still could want to bring healing to this person who cooked his meals and cleaned his house.
8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Lord Jesus--This man whose name has been forgotten in the mists of time, may have had more faith than I will ever have. He waited for your word and it was all that he needed. If you said it he believed it.
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Lord Jesus—Your people, your disciples, the people of promise did not have the kind of faith that this soldier had. Where did he learn this kind of trust? Teach me the kind of faith that knows that if You say it, then it must be true. Teach me the kind of faith that has ears to hear Your call and then follow no matter where You lead.
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